Community: Eight franchises that should relocate
by jonpyle at Yardbarker.com, Special to FOXSports.com
Arizona Cardinals
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Reason for moving: The Cardinals have lost home games in a path across the U.S. since becoming a charter member of the NFL in 1920 as the Chicago Cardinals, so named for the hand-me-down maroon jerseys given to the team by a local college team that had gotten new digs. (See, they were even cheap before the Bidwell's bought them.)
The Cardinals have only won one championship in that time, that being the 1947 campaign. They are also credited with the 1925 NFL title, but it really belongs to the Pottsville Maroons (The sooner you give it back, the sooner you can hope for some postseason success, Cardinals fan).
More here in the "Cardinal Curse" in 1960, the Cardinals had enough of battling the crosstown favorite Bears (pay attention, White Sox) and moved to St. Louis where they continued to build the Cardinals tradition of losing. In the next 28 years, the Cards went to the postseason only three times (1974, 1975, 1982).
In 1988, Cardinals ownership was unable to convince the city to help fund a stadium (I've been saying this is the way the Dallas area should try to get rid of the Texas Rangers for years) and the team moved again, this time to Phoenix. Success hasn't been found in Arizona either for the Cards so I think, after 20 years, it time for a change of scenery and a fresh start.
Possible destinations: Given the constant western movement of the team to this point and the absence of an NFL team in the second-largest market in the U.S., I think the L.A. Cardinals should be coming soon.
Green Bay Packers
Reason for moving: You ever had a friend that dealt with a stalker? You have to change your phone numbers, e-mail addresses and your normal daily rituals.
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| Brett Favre is haunting the Green Bay Packers, or at least, the team's front office. (Mike Roemer, file / Associated Press) |
Making matters worse, your family (the fans) think he's the best guy ever and encourage you to make up with him and beg him to come back. It's time to make a run for Packers management, even though the odds of Green Bay succeeding at anything this year aren't in their favor.
Possible destinations: The playoffs (he never shows up there anymore ... bah-bum, chhh!)
Jacksonville Jaguars
Reason for moving: In 1991, the NFL announced that it would expand into two new markets. The top five contenders for the new franchises were Charlotte (currently the 25th-largest broadcast market), Baltimore (No. 24), Memphis (No. 47) and Nashville (No. 30), St. Louis (No. 21) and Jacksonville (No. 49).
The NFL awarded two franchises to Charlotte and Jacksonville in 1995. Since that time, the second-smallest market in the NFL has struggled to support the team. Numerous blackouts, including 12 of 16 home games in both 2003 and 2004, have been a major reason that owner Wayne Weaver finds himself refinancing $110 million in debt. On top of that Alltel has pulled out of the naming rights deal for Jacksonville Municipal Stadium, which cuts off Weaver's largest single source of income.
Weaver has made numerous statements to the effect that the team will not be sold and/or moved. In fact he is so adamant that, given the track record of sports owners, it can only mean one thing: The deal to sell and move the team is in the works as we speak.
Possible destinations: I realize the Jags are probably the front runner for L.A., but I'd like to offer a different solution to Mr. Weaver or whomever the new owners may be ... San Antonio. It would be a 12-spot jump in market size and no other fan base falls in love with their teams like these folks (see Spurs fan and San Antonio Cowboys fan). The only real obstacle will be Jerry Jones, who says he wants to see an NFL team in San Antonio more than anyone. In fact he is so adamant that, given the track record of sports owners, it can only mean one thing ...
Florida Marlins
Reason for moving: Have you ever seen one of their home games televised? (Because I know you haven't actually been to one of their games. No one has.) There are bigger crowds at Little League games. This team has won two World Series trophies in the last 11 years. They are a good team people!
The Marlins finally got a new stadium deal, which is set to open in 2011. However, since the people of Miami (who have never really been great sports fans) don't show up for home games, the stadium is set to have the second fewest number of seats in MLB.
Possible destinations: Anywhere that appreciates winners
Los Angeles Clippers
Must-read:
Must-see:
Top headlines:
- Week 2 college football scoreboard
- Federer makes U.S. Open final
- No. 8 West Va. suffers big upset
- Rays' star Longoria comes off DL
Worth a thousand words:
Reason for moving: Where to start with the Clips...
They've achieved pathetic results, alienated their already miniscule fanbase by committing the cardinal sin of ownership caring more about your deep pockets than a good product and botched so many drafts, trades and negotiations that you'd think it couldn't possibly get any worse. Then the Baron Davis-Elton Brand debacle comes along to reconfirm my theory that Elgin Baylor sold his soul to the devil, torturing an already emotionally unstable group of fans. They need a fresh start.
Possible destinations: Hell, Baker, CA, Junction, TX
Sacramento Kings
Reason for moving: Okay, so this is an "I'm-afraid-they-will-move" choice instead of a "They-need-to-move" choice. The Maloofs have been trying to get the people of Sacramento to buy them a new home for a few years now because Arco Arena is, well, Arco Arena.
Unfortunately for the Maloofs, Sacramentans aren't a bunch of yokels with hayseed in their ears like Phil Jackson would have you believe. They know the Maloof family is Rockefeller rich. They're not going to pony up millions of dollars for a new stadium and then let the Maloofs have all the profits.
The Sacramento fans are great fans though. That's the only thing keeping the Kings in Sacramento I believe.
Possible destinations: Plan A: Las Vegas, Plan B: Laughlin
Columbus Blue Jackets
Reason for moving: If you put a gun to my head, I probably couldn't name 15 NHL teams. So when I found out there was a team in Columbus, OH, named the Blue Jackets no less, I decided enough was enough.
We don't care about hockey in America. We really don't. We can pretend, but it's never gonna happen. Some people have convinced themselves they love it, but unless they're from a place where most of the factories have closed (AKA the Rust Belt), they're not telling the truth. Let's just drop the charade an give hockey back to Canada because they'll appreciate it more.
Possible destinations: Quebec
Tampa Bay Rays
Reason for moving: The Steinbrenners will not rest until they sit atop the AL East, even if that means just buying the team currently in first place and moving them to New York. Plus, the Rays have completely turned this team around and still can't sell out a game unless the Red Sox are in town.
Possible destinations: Steinbrenner's Pockets, NY
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